Dost Khan
JAMMU: BJP’s recent euphoria of winning record 25 seats in Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and partnering a government in the State for the first time in the history of independent India falls pale on the face of unprecedented and highly successful bandh observed across the region against ‘shifting’ of AIIMS from Jammu to Srinagar. The issue may not be as significant as the message is. BJP’s magic seems to be over.
Jammu has sent a terse message to Delhi and Nagpur that it can’t be taken for granted. Enough is enough. A party, saddling on the emotive slogan of ‘discrimination by Kashmir centric governments during the past nearly seven decades’ stands exposed because of its own policy paralysis, inertia, lack of will, commitment to fundamentals and betrayal to the region that gave it unconditional and unflinching support during most testing times since Praja Parishad days. It can’t claim anymore to have exclusive domain to decide which way Jammu should go. It can’t dare anymore to even call for a Bandh, which the party claimed to be having its exclusive right.
Even as the BJP stands marginalized, the AIIMS Coordination Committee, spearheaded by Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association and hugely supported by Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries, has limited the space for other political parties in the winter capital. It has assumed the role of a Civil Society, something Jammu failed to have during the past 69 years. It has been heard by the people of Jammu and undoubtedly it will have an impact in future as well.
What is the message of Wednesday Jammu Bandh and how different is it from frequent Kashmir shut downs? While there is commonality in no political party enjoying supremacy in moulding public opinion in either of the regions, the Jammu Bandh is certainly and hugely different from the shut downs observed in the Valley, earlier alternate day and now almost every alternate week. Kashmir Bandhs called by separatists reflect coercion and anti-India sentiment while the Jammu Bandh sponsored by the Coordination Committee demonstrates craving of people for development and fulfillment of their rightful aspirations. Jammu is not agitating against any community; it stands for all those wanting pride, dignity, equal opportunity, better utility services and good healthcare.
The redeeming factor of the Wednesday Bandh is that Jammu will listen to new found civil society and not the political class that has lost the efficacy and credibility. BJP is hugely responsible for it and the punishment will be shared by all other political outfits. If the BJP has lost face, the other political parties have lost the space.
By observing complete Bandh, the people have given a lever in the hands of the Coordination Committee to hammer against the perpetrators of discrimination with this region. This has made the politicians vulnerable, as they have always ditched the Jammu cause for their personal gains. They have always played second fiddle and thus caused a huge dent to the Duggar pride. They have lost their credibility and acceptability. All these coupled will make the Coordination Committee further stronger, provided it does not lose the direction and the destination.
The immediate fall out of the Jammu Bandh may most likely impact the impending elections to the civic bodies. The apolitical democratic exercise at the grass roots level will witness apolitical Civil Society having huge say. Jammu has all the reasons to have a last laugh.
